Porthole reamer



A. HORELICA Oclk. 18, 1966 PORT HOLE REAMER Filed June 23, 1965 I N VENTOR. fla ipr //OPfZ/Cfl MyW United States Patent 3,278,964 PORTHOLEREAMER Albert Horelica, 215 E. Dahlgren St., Wharton, Tex. Filed June23, 1965, Ser. No. 466,258 4 Claims. (Cl. 15104.02)

The present invention relates to an improved and new porthole reamer forbeing applied as a tool to clean carbon deposited on portholes ininternal combustion engines, particularly two-cycle type engines, andmore particularly the invention relates to a porthole reamer that isprovided with a flared out portion of stranded cable on one end of abraided steel cable and having an adapter at the other end capable ofbeing secured and rotated from an electric drill such as an explosionproof inch electric drill, or an exposion proof inch air drill.

The objects therefore of the present invention are to provide a tool forcleaning carbon from portholes of twocycle engines, particularly aporthole cleaner that is substantially flexible in design and adaptableto following the contour and curvature of the porthole.

A further object of the present invention is to provide better engineperformance having the portholes clean, as well as easier engine balancesince the portholes are cleaned with greater facility throughout. Alsothere is a fuel saving due to less horsepower being consumed in theengine.

Another object of the invention is to provide savings in labor costs incleaning by means of the construction of the present tool, and by whichone man replaces three or more men who would otherwise be required toperform the job of cleaning the portholes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collar on anintermediate portion of the stranded cable so that that amount of flareis controlled as the braided steel cable is rotated by the adapterconnected to an air drill.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collar disposed alongan intermediate portion of the braided steel cable for adjustment in theflaring portion as well as providing a stop collar for the work portionof the tool as it is inserted into the portholes to be cleaned, and thusoperate in the manner of a depth gauge.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool particularlyadapted for cleaning portholes for two-cycle engines of the order ofLOGO-2,600 horsepower.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible shank tooladapted to cut and to clean carbon from portholes, and to clean theinterior portion of the porthole as well as adjust the top portion sothat the porthole is opened and cleaned throughout.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from a full consideration of the following detailed descriptionand accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plane view shown partially in crosssection at the adapterportion of a porthole reamer or tool comprising a seven-strand braidedsteel cable held by said adapter in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIGURE 1;and

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a port- "ice hole reameror tool 10 comprising a series or plurality of plural stranded braidedsteel cable 12, 12, 12, in which one end is disposed and received withinan adapter 14, and the other end is flared outwardly as shown at 16, andthere is disposed proximate thereto a steel band 18. The steel cable hasgenerally a common diameter throughout, as is shown, except for theflared portion. The flared portion is formed in the usual manner, thatis by unwinding or unbraiding the cable at that portion. The steel band18 is secured about the flared portion so that the inwardly disposedflared portion from the steel band is flared outwardly. As the tool 10is caused to rotate by the adapter being turned by an exposion proofinch electric drill or an explosion proof inch air drill (not shown),the cable is rotated and the flared portion cleans off the carbon whichhas been formed and settled onto the porthole being cleaned. Thecleaning of the portholes requires less engine down time, that is lesstime in which the engine is disassembled. The steel collar 18 is shownin FIGURE 2 to tightly engage the cable within the band, while theadapter 14 contains a number of Allen head screws 22, 22 for securelyretaining the cable 10 within the adapter 14.

The distal end of the adapter 14 terminates in a connection 26 adaptedto fit within the coupling portion of a inch electric or air drill (notshown), as above described.

At an intermediate end portion of the cable 10 proximate to the flaredportion 28, there is provided a collar 30 having a further set of Allenhead screws 32 provided for adjustment of the magnitude of the flaredportion 28 as well as providing a stop collar to gauge the depth inwhich the tool is to be inserted within the porthole sought to becleaned.

It has been found that the flexibility of the cable of the presentinvention is significantly important in the invention, and there cannotbe any still joints or portions in the tool such as a knurled mat orother prior art feature. The tool is adapted to fit within curvedportions of the porthole, and the collar 30 will not allow the tool togo deeper into the porthole than is necessary. By the use of the presentinvention, the porthole is cleaned more than just at the top.

The tool of the present invention has been tested and proven as highlysuccessful for porthole cleaning of twocycle engines, particularly thoseof 2,000-2,600 horsepower ratings.

Additional embodiments of the present invention will occur to others andtherefore it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited onlyby the appended claims and not by the embodiment described hereinabove.Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims indetermining the full scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A porthole reamer comprising a plural stranded, braided steel cableof a consistently common diameter throughout, an adapter at an end ofsaid cable, said adapter having a plurality of securing means to attachthe cable end to the adapter, a steel band proximate the other end ofsaid cable, said other end being flared outwardly forming a flaredportion on each side of the steel band, and said adapter being capableof rotation by an air drill so that the flared portion is distended forengaging the porthole and thus ream the porthole clean.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein an intermediate collar ismounted on the cable having said common diameter throughout, and inwhich the intermediate collar controls and adjusts the amount of theflared portion between said band and said adapter as well as provides astop for gauging the depth of the porthole reamer being inserted withina porthole.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein Allen head set screws areprovided for said collar for retaining said collar in place and securedupon said cable.

4. A porthole reamer comprising a plural stranded, braided steel cable,an adapter at one end of said cable and capable of being rotated byattachment to a drill, and an intermediate collar on said cable anddisposed proximate to the flared portion a steel band proximate theother end of said cable, said other end being flared outwardly forming aflared portion on each side of the steel band for controlling the amountof the flared portion as the cable is rotated, as well as providing astop memher to control the amount of depth to which the porthole reameris inserted within a given porthole.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 CHARLES A.WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

E. L. ROBERTS, Assislant Examiner.

1. A PORTHOLE REAMER COMPRISING A PLURAL STRANDED, BRAIDED STEEL CABLEOF A CONSISTENTLY COMMON DIAMETER THROUGHOUT, AN ADAPTER AT AN END OFSAID CABLE, SAID ADAPTER HAVING A PLURALITY OF SECURING MEANS TO ATTACHTHE CABLE END TO THE ADAPTER, A STEEL BAND PROXIMATE THE OTHER END OFSAID CABLE, SAID OTHER END BEING FLARED OUTWARDLY